Implement for drawing track rails to gauge



April 17, 1934. w. E. BROWN IMPLEMENT FOR DRAWINGTRACK RAILS TO GAUGEFiled April 6. 1953 FIG.I

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WITNESSES:

Patented Apr. 17, 1934- UNITE IMPLEMENT FOR DRAWING TRACK RAILS T0 GAUGEWilliam E. Brown, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application April 6, 1933, Serial 9 Claims. (Cl. 254-44) This inventionrelates road constructio rails to gauge.

Considered from the broadest aspect, my invention is directed toward theprovision of a simple and inexpensive track manipulating implement whichis light but sturdy in construction; which is capable of very easyactuation so that to devices useful in railand maintenance to draw trackuse of a gauge spacing bar such as is ordinarily required in thisoperation; and which, moreover, is collapsible into compact form forconvenience of ready carriage from place to place as needed.

In connection with a track manipulating implement having the mentionedattributes, it is an aim of my invention to provide releasable lockingmeans, whereby, as the implement is contracted to draw one rail towardthe other, its parts are automatically secured against relative movementtoprevent spreading of the rails subsequently during spiking.

Another object of my invention is to provide facilities whereby amanipulating device of the kind referred to can be adapted for use withrails having base flanges of different widths.

Still another object of my invention is to make provisions whereby animplement of the specified sort may be adapted for use in trackcircuited territories.

Still other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will bemanifest from the detailed description following of the attacheddrawing, wherein Fig. I is a transverse sectional view of a railroadtrack with my improved implement positioned in readiness for operationto draw one of the track rails into proper gauge relation with theother.

Fig. II is a view similar to Fig. I showing the implement after theperformance of the track drawing operation.

Fig. III is a perspective view of the implement drawn to a somewhatlarger scale.

Fig. IV is a detail sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowsIV-IV in Fig. III.

Fig. V is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of theimplement showing the looking means.

Fig. VI is a perspective view of a substitute part whereby the implementmay be adapted for use in track circuited territories; and

Fig. VII is a perspective view showing the implement collapsed.

As herein delineated, my improved track rail manipulating implementcomprises a pair of aligned bar members 10, 11 having books 12, 13 attheir outer ends, one to underreach the track rail R and to engage theouter edge of its flanged base 13, and the other to underreach the railR and to engage the outer edge of its flanged base B. The inner ends ofthe bar members 10, 11 fit the clevis 14 (see Figs. III and IV) of anactuating toggle member 15 and pivot on the smoothsurfaced medial shankportions of fulcrum screw bolts 16, 17 extending crosswise of theclevis. Also fitting the clevis 14 of the toggle member 15 is a gravityinfluenced detent 18 which is pivoted to rock on another fulcrum screwbolt 19 extending crosswise of the clevis above the screw bolt 16, forcapacity to cooperate with teeth 20 along the top edge of the bar member10. As shown, the detent 18 has a rearward treadle projection 21 so thatit may be released from the teeth 20 when required, by pressure of thefoot on said treadle. Projecting laterally from one side of the togglemember 15 is a pair of spaced eyes 22, 23 for insertion of a crow bar orthe like indicated at 24 to serve as an operating handle for theimplement.

In use, the implement is arranged as shown in Fig. I with the hook 12engaging the outer edge of the flange base B of the fixed rail R asalready explainedand with the bar member 11 extended relative to the barmember 10 and its hook; 13 engaging the outer edge of the flange base Bof the rail R also as already explained. The bar 24 is thereupon swungtoward the right from the position of Fig. I, to that shown in Fig. II,whereby, through the action of the toggle member 15, the implement iscontracted until the top edge of the bar member 11 contacts with thebottom edge of the bar member 10 as shown in Figs. II and V. As aconsequence, the rail R is moved toward the rail R. a predetermineddistance to bring it into exact gauge relation with the latter. Duringthe described swing of the handle 24, the locking detent 18 rides idlyover the teeth 20 on the bar member 10 until it finally looks with thelast of said teeth as shown in Figs. II and V. As a result the componentparts of the implement are automatically locked in the positions shownin Fig. II to hold the rail R against spreading while spikes are driveninto the ties T to secure it. In this connection, it is to beparticularly noted that upon'removal of the handle 24 in Fig. II, theimplement is devoid of any projections which would preclude passage oftrains over the track.

After the rail R is secured with spikes, the

implement is removed simply by pressing the treadle 21 of the lockingdetent 18 to withdraw the latter from the teeth 20' on the bar member10, and by swinging the operating bar 24 back to the position of Fig. Ito efiect release of the hooks 12, 13 from the rails.

In order that the implement may be used in placing track rails havingbase flanges of different widths, the hook 13 is made as a separatepiece as shown, and provided in its shank'portion with a number ofsuitably-spaced staggeringly-arranged holes 25 for selective engagementby a depending stud projection 26 on the bar member 11.

In Fig. VI, I have shown a supplemental'hook member 13a having a liner2'7 of insulating material associated therewith to prevent thepossibility of short circuiting between the rails R, R when theimplement is used in track circuited territory.

Forthe sake'of lightness I prefer to construct the component parts ofthe implement as forgings from wrought metal.

Thus after being collapsed as shown in Fig. VII by swinging the barmember 11 about the pivotal connection 17 with the toggle member 15 intoparallel relation with the bar member 10, the implement can be con--veniently carried about from place to place.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An implement for drawing track rails to gauge comprising a pair ofaligned bar members with end hooks to transversely underreach the trackrails and engage the outer edges of their flanged bases, a toggle memberconnecting the inner ends of the two bar members, provisions on thetoggle member enabling the use'of a crow bar or the like as an actuatinghandle, and an automatically-operative releasable locking means forsecuring the parts against relative movement after contraction of theimplement to prevent spreading of the track rails during spiking.

2. An implement for drawing track rails to gauge comprising a pairofaligned bar members with end hooks to transversely underreach the trackrails and engage the outer edges of their flanged bases, a toggle memberconnecting the inner ends of the two bar members, said toggle memberhaving a pair of spaced laterally projecting eyes for insertion of acrow bar or the like as an actuating member, and an automaticallyoperable releasable locking means for securing the parts againstrelative movement after contraction of the implement to preventspreading of the rails during spiking.

3. An implement for drawing track rails to gauge comprising a pair ofaligned bar members with end hooks to transversely underreach the trackrails and engage the outer edges of their flanged bases, a toggle memberconnecting the inner ends of the two bar members, an actuating handlefor the toggle member, and an automatically-operative releasable gravitydetent fulcrumed on the toggle member and engaging teeth on one of thebar members thereby to secure the parts against relative movement aftercontraction of the implement to prevent spreading of the track railsduring spiking.

4. An implement for drawing track rails'to gauge comprising a pair ofaligned bar member with end hooks to transversely underreach the trackrails and engage the outer edges of their flanged bases, a toggle memberwith its ends pivotally connected respectively to the inner ends of twobar members, a handle whereby the toggle member may be actuated tocontract the implement,

and an automatically-operative gravity detent fulcrumed on the togglemember and engaging ratchet teeth on one of the bar sections to securethe parts against relative movement after contraction of the implementto prevent shirting of the track rails during spiking, said detenthaving a rearward treadle projection for foot pressure release.

5. An implement for drawing track rails to gauge comprising a pair ofaligned bar members with end hooks to engage the outer edges of therails, a toggle member with a clevis to pivotally receive the inner endsof the bar members, a removable handle whereby the toggle member may beactuated to contract the implement, and

a gravity detent also engaged pivotally within the clevis of the togglemember and adapted to cooperate with teeth on one of the bar members inautomatically locking the parts against relative movement uponcontraction of the implement to prevent spreading of the rails duringspiking.

6. An adaptable implement for drawing track rails with base flanges ofdifferent widths to gauge, comprising a-pair of aligned bar members, onewith an integrally formed hook end to underreach one track rail and toengage the outer edge of its flange base, and the other bar memberhaving a perpendicular stud projection selectively engageable with aseries of apertures in a separate-end hookmember for underreaching theother track rail and engaging the outer edge of its flange base, saidapertures being longitudinally spaced to accord with the base widthvariations of the different rails, a toggle member connecting the innerends of the hook bar sections, a handle for actuating the toggle memberto contract the implement, and a conformative removable liner ofinsulating material fitting into the separate hook member aforesaid ,toenable the use of the implement in track-circuited territory.

7. An implement for drawing track rails to gauge comprising a pair ofaligned bar members with end hooks to transversely underreach the trackrail and to engage the outer edges of their flanged bases, a togglemember with an upwardly-extending actuating handle connecting the innerends of the bar members, said actuating handle being removable to permitpassage of trains over the sections of the track rails held by theimplement, and automatically operable means for securing the partsagainst relative movement upon contraction of the implement.

8. An adaptable implement for drawing track rails with base flanges ofdifferent width to gauge comprising a pair of aligned bar members, onewith an integrally formed hook end to underreach one track rail and toengage the outer edge of its flanged base, and another bar member havinga perpendicular stud projection selectively engageable with a series ofapertures in a separate end hook member for underreaching the othertrack rail and engaging the outer edge of its base flange, saidapertures being longitudinally spaced to accord with the widthvariations of the different rail base flanges, a toggle memberconnecting the inner ends of the hook bar sections, and a handle foractuating the toggle member to contract the implement.

9. An adaptable implement for drawing track base, and the other bar 15,0

member having a perpendicular stud projection selectively engageablewith a series of apertures in a separate end hook member forunderreaching the other track rail and engaging the outer edge of itsflange base, said apertures being 1ongitudinally spaced to accord withthe variations in the base flange widths of the different rails, a

swingahle clevised handle-actuated toggle mem-

